Mika Singh Defends Daler Mehndi After Uttarakhand Minister Accuses Singer of Drinking Alcohol
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Guwahati: The singer Mika Singh has come out in support of singer-songwriter Daler Mehndi after Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal allegedly accused him of performing under the influence of alcohol during a cultural programme.
In a video shared on Instagram on Tuesday, Mika challenged those questioning Mehndi’s conduct, saying, “If you ever see Daler Mehndi drinking alcohol, I’ll quit singing.” The controversy erupted on Monday when Mehndi was interrupted during his performance at the annual Siddhpeeth Maa Kunjapuri Tourism and Development Fair in Narendra Nagar, Uttarakhand’s Tehri district.
A video of the incident, which has since gone viral, purportedly shows Uniyal questioning the singer’s ability to perform. “You can’t even speak, so how are you going to sing?” the minister is heard saying, while also questioning the decision to invite him to the event, which coincided with Navratri.
The minister is seen asking the singer to leave the stage.
Defending his fellow singer, Mika questioned the manner in which Mehndi was treated publicly and compared the incident with how international performers such as Coldplay might be treated.
Mika also said Mehndi had been unwell for the past two years and was still recovering, but continued to perform with his band. He maintained that the singer did not consume alcohol